Who fired the mystery shot? - The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) Discussion

[–] telegonus 13 years ago

I'm wondering the same thing.

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[–] jpmkam 13 years ago

Patrolman James who was in the tunnel said the shot came from behind him, and he and Jerry Stiller's character said on the radio it was a police sniper.

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[–] telegonus 13 years ago

I've only seen the movie once so I admit my naivite (stupidity? ) in advance so I have to ask: were all the snipers in the tunnel cops or could some of them just been guys who wanted in on the action? Sometimes "rogue citizens" (i.e. vigilantes) get into the act, or they did years ago, as portrayed in Dillinger, when it looks like the entire male population of Mason City, Iowa is opening up on the Dillinger gang.

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[–] 13 years ago

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[–] KatrinaW 8 years ago

Every time I hear the word vigilante, I think of Bernie Goetz.

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[–] sstavsky 11 years ago

I've seen this movie twice, and this confused me both times. But we see Patrolman James doing mock shots with his finger and making mock shooting noises. It seemed to be that there was a connection between this and the subsequent shooting, i.e., one of the snipers heard his "mock shooting noises," thought it was the real thing, and started shooting.

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[–] Tobey 11 years ago

Patrolman James was being VERY quiet, I doubt that someone behind him in the tunnel could hear his fake shot or even his radio transmissions.

I just watched the movie again and when James is doing his fake gun you cans see the muzzle flash of one of the snipers in the tunnel behind him when the shot is fired. Best guess is either the guy got trigger happy or thought he had a clean kill shot and would take it, regardless of orders.

I would also doubt there were any rogue gun toting citizens in the tunnel, the cops would have it sealed up pretty tight.

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[–] loveagoodstory 11 years ago

Patrolman James' earlier comments that there's a lot of other lawmen in the tunnel, marksman etc, lays the foundations for that moment. The assumption that one of the marksman eventually got carried away under the pressure of the situation is what the audience are left with.

I hate to play the 'book' card but I seem to remember this plot element being fleshed out more in the novel as said marksman.

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[–] spookyrat1 10 years ago

Patrolman James' earlier comments that there's a lot of other lawmen in the tunnel, marksman etc, lays the foundations for that moment.

Yes. It's inferred that it was a "city cop sniper" not under the direct control of the transit police then directing the operation, who fired the shot.

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[–] 11 years ago

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[–] ccr1633 10 years ago

The movie was pretty clear about this. You were not meant to know.

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[–] culttv-2 8 years ago

Yes, it's a bit ambiguous.
Patrolman James : " I don't know who did it Lieutenant, it came from somewhere behind me in the dark, it had to be one of those snipers they got down here"
Ricco Patrone : "You mean somebody just took it on his head to fire on his own? How could he do such a thing?"
James : " Easy Lieutenant, real easy"

And like someone said earlier, you can clearly see the muzzle flash from the gunshot so it was definitely from one of the cops hiding in the tunnel

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[–] jmkeupp-1 8 years ago

No great mystery. It was just an accidental discharge.The police had their fingers on the triggers for a long time. Maybe someone got a muscle spasm or a rat bit him and he pulled the trigger when he reacted. It happens.

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